Goal-Setting Charting the Roadmap to Excellence Perspectives

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Goal-Setting

• Charting the Roadmap to Excellence

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Perspectives on goal-setting

• Setting goals is the first step in turning the
  invisible into the visible. Anthony Robbins
• A goal properly set is halfway reached. Abraham
  Lincoln
• People with clear, written goals, accomplish far
  more in a shorter period of time than people
  without them could ever imagine. Brian Tracy
• Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are
  like a ship that has set sail with no
  destination. Fitzhugh Dodson
• Progress has little to do with speed, but much to
  do with direction. Author Unkown

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In the workplace, goal-setting is a valuable tool
that

• Enhances productivity
• Encourages on-going communication and
  collaboration between employees and supervisors
• Stimulates long-term vision and short-term
  motivation
• Adds credibility and objectivity to performance
  evaluations
• Helps to align employee and unit goals with
  strategic employer objectives

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Goal alignment at the University
UD Strategic Plan
College/Division Goals
Unit/Department Goals
Employee Goals
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Goal-setting components

• Goal statement of results to be achieved within
  a specific timeframe
• Standard ongoing performance criteria to be
  repeatedly met or exceeded
• Competency personal attribute, ability or skill
  an individual demonstrates at work
• Stretch Goal extremely ambitious goal that
  prompts outside-the-box thinking

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Variety is good! Consider a combination of

• Goals and standards that support unit objectives
• Goals that support personal/professional
  development
• Stretch goal that is very rigorous and challenges
  talents and abilities

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Motivational benefits of goal-setting

• Setting specific, challenging goals helps to
  increase job satisfaction and performance.
• Feedback helps employees understand what they
  should continue doing, stop doing, or start doing
  to attain the goal.
• Maintaining goal commitment is important, e.g.,
  focusing on outcome expectancies (how my actions
  affect the goal) and self-efficacy (the belief
  that I can achieve it).
• Resources (especially employee training and skill
  development) should be made available and
  obstacles removed.
• Gary P. Latham , Motivate Employee
  Performance through Goal-setting

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Job Description the foundation for goals,
standards and competencies

• Job descriptions support goal-setting
• Is the description current and relevant?
• Does it encompass major duties and
  responsibilities?
• Are expectations clearly defined?
• Out of date? Then update!

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Create S.M.A.R.T. goals

• Specific precise and detailed
• Measurable with criteria for determining
  progress and success
• Achievable attainable and action-oriented
• Realistic relevant and aligned
• Time-related grounded within a time-frame
• Peter Drucker, The Practice of Management

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Is it specific?

• Greater chance of achieving specific rather
  than general goals
• Clearly defined why? what? when? how?
• Written and detailed
• Example
• General Lead a healthier lifestyle in 2008
• Specific Improve health by exercising 3
  hours per week and by losing 30 pounds by
• December 31, 2008

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Is it measurable?

• If you cant measure it, you cant manage it!
• How much? How many? When?
• Observable or trackable results
• Relevant benchmarks or metrics to assess progress
  and attainment
• Example
• While 30 lbs and 3 hours/week is easy to
  measure, more relevant measures of health
  improvement may be changes in blood pressure,
  cholesterol or percent body fat.

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Is it achievable?

• Likelihood of success
• Attained with a reasonable amount of effort and
  application
• Possess (or can develop) the abilities, skills or
  knowledge to attain
• Example
• Achievability can be improved by developing
  knowledge of weight loss methods (e.g., Weight
  Watchers) and fitness programs (e.g., Employee
  Fitness Center)

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Is it realistic?

• Practical and manageable
• Relevant to individual and organization
• Necessary resources are available
• Flexible vs. rigid
• Example
• Rigid requirements can weaken motivation.
  Exercising 3 hours weekly rather than ½ hour
  daily for 6 days/week is more flexible and more
  realistic for some.

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Is it timely?

• Anchored within a time frame
• Start date, finish date and/or deadline
• Averts procrastination
• Timing can impact attainability
• Example
• Losing 30 lbs in 12 months is reasonable.
• Losing 30 lbs in 1 month is unreasonable.

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Tips for interactive goal setting

• Clearly state the performance goal or standard
• Break it down into manageable components
• Isolate resources needed to accomplish each
  component
• Identify possible barriers
• Develop a timeline (e.g., quarterly) to meet and
  review progress

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Need to knows for supporting goal achievement

• What skills are needed?
• What information/knowledge is needed?
• What help/collaboration is needed?
• What resources are needed?
• What might block progress?

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Regular check-ups are critical!

• Supervisors should regularly review goal progress
  with their employees
• Dialogue keeps goals fresh and on track
• Milestones can help to sustain motivation
• Changing needs, priorities and resources may
  require goal adjustment, postponement or addition
  of a new goal

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How can supervisors revitalize UDs performance
appraisal process?

• Ensure 100 percent participation
• Engage in interactive goal-setting
• Regularly meet with employees to discuss progress
  toward goals (quarterly is recommended)
• Strengthen the correlation between employee
  performance and distribution of merit raises
• Identify and reward exceptional performance

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Resources for goal-setting and performance
evaluation

• Human Resources
• http//www.udel.edu/EMPRELATION/appraisal.html
• Morris Library
• Other colleges and universities
• Internet
• For help with job descriptions, contact
  HR-Classification at
• 831-2171 or hr-class_at_udel.edu.